Eight Air Marshals Fired for Drinking on the Clock, Six More Suspended for not Reporting It

Eight federal air marshals are being fired for drinking alcohol during training, and six others are being disciplined for not reporting it, according to the Transportation Security Administration. The marshals, who typically fly with guns to protect commercial flights, were in New York in February for training and were not scheduled to fly that day.

The group, which included one supervisor, went to lunch at a restaurant, where eight drank alcohol, TSA spokesman David Castelveter said. Some of the marshals had their weapons with them at the time.

The incident was reported to an internal federal air marshal website by a marshal who was there, and the TSA launched an internal investigation, Castelveter explained.

The Transportation Security Administration is firing eight federal air marshals for drinking on the job, and suspending six more for failing to report the incident.

The 14 marshals, who work out of the New York field office, were notified Friday and asked to turn in their weapons and credentials, TSA officials said. One probationary employee was terminated immediately. The rest can appeal.

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The drinking occurred at a restaurant in February and was reported to a website where employees can alert the organization of unethical and inappropriate behavior.